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Starlog Archives: Buck Rogers

posted 8 years ago by TMC-4
2 replies | jump to latest

https://lebeauleblog.com/2016/10/27/starlog-archives-buck-rogers/

Posted by lebeau

For readers of a certain age, this article from the Starlog archives is likely to be a heck of a nostalgia trip. In October and November of 1996, the sci-fi magazine ran a two-part retrospective about the TV show Buck Rogers in the 25th Century. Buck Rogers aired on NBC for two seasons from 1979-1981. Producer Glen A. Larson duplicated the formula of his other successful Star Wars rip-off, Battlestar Galacta. The two shows even cut costs by sharing props.

At the time, Buck Rogers was panned as a cheap knock-off which it probably was. I haven’t watched the show since I was ten years old and I don’t want to. All I know is that back in the days when I was obsessed with all things Star Wars, shows like Battlestar and Buck Rogers were the closest thing my friends and I could get to a sci-fi/adventure fix.

[–] tr47 7 years ago

BSG wasn't actually a Star Wars ripoff since the concept was around before 1977, but it absolutely rode its coattails and was greenlighted becauce of its success. Star Wars literally transitioned pop culture to a heavily space-focused theme, with examples like Mork & Mindy, Superman 1 & 2, BSG, Buck Rogers, Quark, Jason of Star Command, Ark II and countless video games. Some shows that previously weren't that way became so, like SuperFriends, and even James Bond jumped on the bandwagon with Moonraker. I can't say it was all good, but it was very prolific.

[–] MuMu2525 7 years ago

Well, Larson only claimed that the idea for BSG was around before Star Wars (and considering making rip-offs was his business model, it's hard to take him seriously) but you can't deny BSG was certainly a stylistic rip-off of Star Wars, not helped by the fact they had the same art designers and special effects team.

There's room for them both though I think and things like BSG and Buck Rogers helped to fill the void until The Empire Strikes Back came out. Must say I miss that late 70s sci-fi wave. It was such an exciting time.